If you thought the 90s were the peak of the Indiana Pacers contra Knicks feud, you haven't been paying attention lately. Seriously. The bad blood between Indianapolis and New York isn't just a dusty memory of Reggie Miller choking or Spike Lee jawing from the sidelines. It's alive. It's loud. And after the chaos we've seen over the last two seasons, it might actually be more intense now than it was during the Patrick Ewing era.
Basketball is funny like that. Some rivalries are manufactured by TV networks, but this one? This is organic. It’s built on Game 7 heartbreaks and a fundamental clash of styles that makes every single meeting feel like a playoff game. Whether it’s at the Garden or Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the atmosphere is just different.
The 2025 Eastern Conference Finals: A New Peak
Let’s talk about what just happened. The 2025 Eastern Conference Finals between these two was, frankly, a masterpiece of stress. People forget that the Pacers actually knocked the Knicks out in six games to reach the Finals. It wasn't some fluke. Indiana was the first team in the play-by-play era to win a game after trailing by 14 with less than three minutes left—and they did it to New York in Game 1. Talk about a gut punch.
New York fans are still salty about it. You can't blame them. Jalen Brunson was playing like a man possessed, averaging over 30 points throughout that series, but Tyrese Haliburton’s ability to manipulate the floor eventually wore them down. It was a classic case of New York’s grit vs. Indiana’s pace.
The Knicks eventually got a tiny bit of revenge on December 18, 2025, winning a 114-113 nail-biter. Jalen Brunson dropped 25, and Mikal Bridges added 22, but the story was nearly another Pacers comeback led by Andrew Nembhard. He’s becoming a "Knick-Killer" in his own right, putting up 31 in that loss. One point. That’s all that separated them.
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Why the Styles Clash So Hard
The Pacers under Rick Carlisle play a brand of basketball that looks like it’s being played at 1.5x speed. They led the league in assist percentage and true shooting recently. They want to run. They want to score 130 and dare you to keep up.
Then you have Tom Thibodeau’s Knicks.
Thibs would probably prefer a final score of 82-80 if he could get it. They want to grind you into the hardwood. With guys like OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns now in the mix, they have this weird blend of elite rim protection and floor spacing that specifically counters Indiana's drive-and-kick game. It’s a chess match where both players are trying to flip the board.
Haliburton and Brunson: The Modern Miller vs. Ewing
The faces have changed, but the energy is the same. Tyrese Haliburton is 6'5", flashy, and talks just enough trash to get under your skin. Jalen Brunson is a 6'2" powerhouse who works the mid-range like a surgeon. They are the perfect protagonists for this drama.
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In the 2025 playoffs, the stats were wild:
- Game 1: Brunson 43 pts, Haliburton 31 pts.
- Game 4: Haliburton 32 pts, 15 asts, 12 rebs (A monster triple-double).
- Game 5: Brunson 32 pts to keep the Knicks' season alive.
Honestly, it’s the best point guard rivalry in the league right now. They aren't just playing for wins; they’re playing for the right to claim the Eastern Conference's future.
The "Injured" Narrative
There’s always an excuse, right? Knicks fans will tell you they only lost the 2024 series because everyone was in a walking boot. Pacers fans will counter that they beat a 64-win Cavs team and pushed the Celtics to the brink. The truth usually sits somewhere in the middle. The Knicks were banged up in '24, but Indiana’s depth is a legitimate weapon that New York struggled to match until they brought in more wing depth recently.
What Most People Get Wrong
A lot of casual fans think this rivalry died when Reggie Miller retired. Not even close. If anything, the 2013 series with Paul George and Roy Hibbert kept the embers glowing. But the current era has reignited the fire because both teams are actually good at the same time.
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For years, one team would be rebuilding while the other was contending. Now? Both are top-four seeds in the East. Every game has seeding implications. Every possession feels heavy.
Tactical Insights to Watch For
When these two meet next, keep an eye on how Indiana targets Brunson on defense. They don't just ISO him; they put him in every single screen-and-roll to wear him out. On the flip side, watch how New York uses KAT to pull Myles Turner away from the basket. It’s a tactical war that usually comes down to who makes the last adjustment in the fourth quarter.
Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter
The Pacers are currently struggling a bit in early 2026, coming off a rough losing streak, while the Knicks are sitting comfortably near the top of the Atlantic Division. But records go out the window when these two meet. The next matchup on February 10, 2026, is already circled on everyone's calendar.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Bettors:
- The Over is your friend: When these teams play, the pace usually trends toward Indiana's style. Even with NY’s defense, the scores have been hitting the 220+ range consistently.
- Watch the Injury Report: Both teams play heavy minutes for their stars. If OG Anunoby is out for New York, Indiana’s offensive rating jumps significantly.
- Home Court Matters: The Garden is a nightmare for young teams, but Indiana has shown they can win there under pressure (see: 2024 Game 7).
- Follow Nembhard: He is the X-factor. If he scores 20+, the Pacers almost always win or keep it within a possession.
Stop treating this like just another regular-season matchup. Indiana Pacers contra Knicks is the heartbeat of the Eastern Conference right now.
Keep an eye on the defensive matchups for the February 10th game; specifically, see if Indiana continues to use Aaron Nesmith as the primary disruptor on Brunson, or if they pivot to a more zone-heavy look to slow down New York's post entries.